Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 56

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

56. Encounter (4)

Serena only remembered the general appearance and had never properly looked into a deer’s eyes.

Instead, she had seen black goats at the zoo and touched them and fed them during kindergarten and elementary school field trips to farms, so she knew goats better than deer.

The eyes of the monster blocking Serena’s path were similar to goat eyes. Eyes like a goat, legs like a chamois, body and face and crying sounds resembling a deer – it was a strange hybrid. Let’s just call it a Labyrinth Deer for convenience.

Aak aak aak.

The formidable enemy of the 3rd layer, the Labyrinth Deer, looked at Serena who was left alone and narrowed its eyes.

‘Is this bastard laughing?’

Whether it was really laughing or just narrowing its eyes in a way that looked like mockery to Serena. Only the Labyrinth Deer would know the truth.

However, Serena had a slightly different thought. In the West of her previous life, demon eyes were often drawn as goat eyes, and facing the Labyrinth Deer’s giant eyes at close range, she seemed to understand why.

The horizontally long black pupils were different from the familiar round pupils, feeling unfamiliar while simultaneously invoking unknown fear, and emotions were hard to read. Any emotion contained in those horizontal pupils would likely feel negative.

Added to that was the monster’s characteristic aggression toward humans, murderous intent, and the Labyrinth Deer’s unique bizarre madness and malice.

‘So it was mocking me after all?’

The Labyrinth Deer identified Serena, left alone, as easy prey and didn’t kill her immediately. Malice expecting the prey’s pain and fear poured toward Serena.

“Princess! Wak wak!”

The party shouted something from inside the cave, but the Labyrinth Deer blocked the cave, and Serena, overwhelmed by the formidable enemy, couldn’t hear them.

Serena breathed roughly while facing the formidable enemy and calmed her frozen mind.

‘Stay calm. Let’s stay calm.’

First, the party inside the cave couldn’t help Serena.

The cave entrance was barely wide enough for one person to pass through, so cramped and the angle didn’t work, so magic or arrows could only attack the Labyrinth Deer’s rear end.

And Count Randy’s magic bullet spell and Ying’s arrows couldn’t penetrate the Labyrinth Deer’s fur hide.

Ralph’s sword and Olive’s dagger would only manage to poke the buttock muscles. It was similar to giving the Labyrinth Deer a stinging injection, having no effect.

So Serena had to face the Labyrinth Deer alone. It would be nice if she had a secret trump card hidden away for times like this.

‘As if.’

Until recently, Serena had considered the genre of the world she reincarnated into as political intrigue or melodrama. A secret trump card to use against a hybrid of deer, chamois, and goat? Of course she had none.

‘I’m not even a black goat, and I’m going to die to a deer?’

Wouldn’t falling to death be more honorable than being bitten or trampled by a deer?

Just as cornered Serena was contemplating how to die.

Suddenly something flew over and slashed the Labyrinth Deer’s neck.

Eeek?

The Labyrinth Deer cried as if it couldn’t believe it. The red crack on its neck gradually grew larger and fresh blood flowed as the deer’s head fell downward.

Just as the body separated from the head was about to fall forward and crush Serena’s body.

Again something flew over and slashed the Labyrinth Deer’s body.

Not once but twice. Not twice but three times. Serena couldn’t count how fast the invisible unknown force butchered the Labyrinth Deer’s torso.

The Labyrinth Deer’s body became minced meat and fell with thuds in front of Serena. Not a single drop of blood splattered on Serena’s body, who was right in front.

Blood that spilled as the minced meat fell splashed onto the princess’s body. That was all the blood that got on Serena’s body.

“What is… this exactly…?”

While Serena couldn’t grasp the situation, the party members who couldn’t come out because they were blocked by the Labyrinth Deer’s rear end emerged from the cave one by one.

“Lady Serena! Are you safe?”

Count Randy, who was first to exit the cave, froze upon seeing the scattered pool of blood and flesh.

“Wh-what is this!”

“What? What happened?”

As Count Randy froze and blocked the cave, the people still inside who couldn’t get out clamored.

Someone’s hand came to rest on Serena’s head as she stood dazed like Count Randy. The hand stroking her head was very warm and gentle.

One who dared place a hand on the princess’s head. The only one who always tried to stroke Serena’s head, which even her father the crown prince and grandfather His Majesty the King didn’t stroke.

He happened to be standing on the left side so she couldn’t see him, but she didn’t need to turn her head or eyes to look. Serena already knew who the hand belonged to.

Serena called the name of the one who suddenly appeared.

“Richard.”

As she turned around calling his name, the very person Serena mentioned was there.

Serena’s cousin brother, Duke Richard Oren Huaim, smiled gently and greeted her.

“Hello, Serena.”

Richard’s single orange eye narrowed.

“You entered the Labyrinth.”

Was it pity or mockery? The corner of Richard’s straight mouth lifted slightly.

Either way, his gaze toward his cousin sister was affectionate, and his hand stroking her head was gentle. It seemed to become even gentler after bringing up the Labyrinth.

“That’s a person, right? Who is he?”

“Get away from the Princess!”

“Knight, stop!”

“Duke Oren. How exactly?”

They had been stuck unable to do anything with the Labyrinth Deer blocking the cave, but suddenly the path opened. Rushing out, they found a pool of blood and piled flesh outside the cave, with a strange young man standing beside the princess.

A strikingly handsome young man wearing an eyepatch over his right eye, opposite to the princess who was missing her left eye.

His platinum hair reaching past his shoulders was neatly gathered and tied, hanging down, and though he was just standing still, his posture was elegant with overflowing nobility.

He looked like a virtuous noble youth, but the party couldn’t move rashly. Olive and Ying held back the young knight who was about to rush out.

‘Death.’

Olive’s instincts, having crossed countless lines of death in the Labyrinth, warned her. That young man was so strong that the Labyrinth Deer that had blocked the cave looked trivial, and he was more dangerous than formidable enemies from deeper than the 50th floor.

“Did Duke Oren do this?”

Even when Count Randy asked, Richard didn’t answer. His orange eyes contained no one other than Serena.

He looked at Count Randy, but only recognized people like background, reflecting them like a mirror. No one other than Serena was acknowledged by Richard.

“How unusual that you stay still even when I stroke your head.”

Richard spoke affectionately to his cousin sister, who always frowned when he stroked her head. Serena lifted one corner of her mouth and smiled.

“I got hit by bat droppings on my head and couldn’t wash it. You’re stroking poop right now.”

Though she had rinsed it with water, she couldn’t wash it properly so it still smelled and felt gross. If he wanted to stroke such hair, she could offer it anytime.

“Hahaha.”

Richard didn’t get angry or annoyed about touching poop and laughed brightly. Serena swatted away her cousin brother’s hand, who had suddenly appeared and minced the monster, and created distance.

She acted calm but her heart was beating like crazy. It was more frightening than when the Labyrinth Deer had blocked the cave entrance.

‘I can’t tell if this is a dream or reality.’

Serena held back her reason that kept wanting to run away and pointed at the pulverized Labyrinth Deer.

“Did you do this?”

“Yes.”

Since there was no one else but Richard, naturally Richard must have done it. However, Serena needed confirmation. Richard immediately affirmed.

“I heard you’re good with a sword, but I didn’t know it was to this extent. Were you hiding your strength?”

“There’s no need to use a sword in the Royal Palace.”

Richard drew his sword so Serena could see it well, without erasing his gentle smile. Golden energy surrounded the treasured sword passed down through generations to heirs of House Huaim, flickering like flames.

The party, who had been unable to move while being ignored by Richard, stirred.

“That can’t be… sword aura?”

“Sword Master? Really?”

The Sword Master that Olive had been singing for to please appear. Richard, who had proven he reached that legendary realm, sheathed his sword.

He would be the third in continental history, even the youngest Sword Master, yet showed no sign of pride.

“You were hiding a lot of strength. If you had told us beforehand, your followers would have been happy. They would have been so proud that our Duke Oren is a Sword Master.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you proud, Serena?”

Serena shrugged her shoulders exaggeratedly. She was so tense that even small movements made her muscles move on their own. It was fortunate her voice didn’t crack.

“What do I have to be proud of? You are you and I am me.”

“Then there’s no need to tell anyone.”

“Wow, how magnificent of you.”

That boring conversation was enough. Serena didn’t hide her wariness as she looked Richard up and down.

Knowing this place was the Labyrinth, Richard was as peaceful and leisurely as if strolling through the Royal Palace courtyard.

‘Right. A Sword Master wouldn’t be afraid of anything.’

Since the legendary Sword Master had graced them with his presence, there should be about seven stars shining brilliantly in five colors to match. But there was nothing above Richard’s head. He was 0-star.

‘There’s no way it’s 0 stars.’

Possibility one. Richard is too strong for stars to be displayed.

Possibility two. Can you see the orange eyes that only Serena has? Richard also offered sacrifices to the Labyrinth God and received some blessing, so the blessing Serena received doesn’t work on him.

There could be other possibilities, but these were the only two that came to mind after briefly pondering.

Grey was too weak, while Richard was conversely too strong for stars to be visible. It seemed quite plausible.

However, Serena rated the second possibility higher than the first. Because these cousin siblings, Serena and Richard, had two special things in common.

One was innate and the other was acquired. The acquired commonality was even added after Serena entered the Labyrinth.

‘Orange eyes. One-eyed.’

Even if you searched the entire continent like hunting for lice, there were only two people with orange eyes: Serena and Richard. What were the odds that both of these people would be missing an eye?

When exactly did Prince Richard, who had been the Kingdom’s pride until the tragedy of Heuji, become one-eyed?

It wasn’t a congenital disability. When Richard was born, all of Heuji was in a festive mood over the orange eyes that had appeared in the Royal Family after so long, and there was no record of him being one-eyed then.

‘Then when exactly?’

She must have seen the portrait of young Richard hanging in the Royal Palace, but strangely she couldn’t remember how many eyes he had. Richard had only one eye from the time Serena met him.

Serena had assumed until now that people didn’t dare mention it because they thought the Prince had wandered alone and experienced hardships.

But thinking back, that wasn’t it. Everyone took Richard’s eye for granted. Even Grandfather, who had missed Richard more than anyone, didn’t lament that his surviving grandson had lost an eye.

Just like how Philia took Serena’s eyepatch for granted.

“Richard, you… when did you become one-eyed?”

“Just as you’re thinking.”

Even though she had adapted to and reigned over the noble social circles full of cunning people, she detested speaking in roundabout ways. Even more so because she had always heard only correct answers since reigning at the pinnacle of social circles.

Richard’s evasive answer served as a sufficient answer, making her even more irritated.

“Then I’ll ask something else. I heard you’ve been searching for me with a sword in hand.”

“That’s true.”

“What reason would a cousin brother have to search for his cousin sister with a sword drawn?”

“Well, naturally.”

Richard smiled brightly.

“To kill you.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————